


Sneaky (Not Sneaky)

by MatchaVanilla



Series: Elevators and Espionage [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kinda Romantic-focus, Modern AU, One-Shot, Spying on a Date, rom-com style
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 10:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10489143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatchaVanilla/pseuds/MatchaVanilla
Summary: In which Sokka has watched way too many rom-coms and is convinced that he’s a totally sneaky super spy. Toph is his sarcastic and unhelpful accomplice. Katara is not amused. Sequel to Elevators and Confessions!





	

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I whipped up, when I thought about Zuko and Katara going out for coffee after Elevators and Confessions. I hope you enjoy it!

“How can you _possibly_ think that Gargoyles is better than Voltron?!” Sokka exclaimed in disbelief, gesticulating as he walked down the street, over-the-top and melodramatic as always, “That show was _so over_ when we were like… twelve! The new Voltron reboot is a modern-day masterpiece!” His incredulous, betrayed stare was fixed on Toph Beifong, one of his best buddies since Junior High and the current bearer of incorrect opinions.

 

Toph’s reaction was far more reserved. She simply raised a brow, turning her clouded, unseeing eyes in his general direction, honing in on his voice. “How can you _possibly_ be getting so bent out of shape over a cartoon?” she countered in a bored tone of voice, careful to tap her red-tipped walking stick across the sidewalk in front of them. Then, with a wicked grin, she added, “And to answer your question: Keith David’s voice.”

 

“Eww,” Sokka wrinkled his nose, “Isn’t he like… ancient?”

 

“He’s sixty, but he was only thirty-seven when he voiced Goliath,” Toph informed him, “That’s significantly less creepy.” Sometimes it seemed like the young blind woman had an eidetic memory, when it came to movie and television trivia.

 

Sokka thought about that for a moment, letting silence fall between them, but soon a disgusted look crossed his face once again. “That still makes him twenty-five years older than _you_!” he pointed out, making a fake gagging noise and flailing in exaggerated revulsion.

 

Apparently Toph found that hysterical. She burst out laughing, thrusting an elbow into Sokka’s side with a breathless, “Shut _up_ , stupid!”

 

The elbow strike – while playfully meant – practically knocked the wind out of Sokka, knocking him into a nearby railing with an undignified yelp of pain. Clutching at his side, the poor guy let out a wheeze even as he continued to laugh, trying to get his breath back…. When he caught sight of a familiar face.

 

“Hey, Toph!” his voice suddenly dropped to an urgent whisper as he beckoned his friend over to his side with a flapping hand, “Look! Isn’t that Katara?” He pointed across the street toward a small coffee shop with an outdoor seating area.

 

Toph stopped walking, but rolled her eyes in disbelief as she moved vaguely in the direction she’d last heard Sokka’s voice coming from. “You _do_ know what _blind_ means, right?” She asked in her usual biting tone; it was honestly amazing how often Sokka forgot such an important fact.

 

The dork in question pouted slightly. “Just get over here,” he muttered, reaching out to grab Toph’s hand and tug her behind a short wall of bushes, “And crouch down; you’re short, but you’re not _that_ short. She might see you from there.”

 

“Oh my god,” Toph deadpanned, standing beside Sokka with little regard for being out of sight, “Are you seriously hiding behind the bushes? Do you have any idea how _lame_ that is?” Then, crossing her arms over her chest, she added, “That is the least subtle or sneaky thing in the history of ever.”

 

Standing up quickly, Sokka put his hands on Toph’s shoulders and shoved her down, out of sight, before returning to his own hiding place. “Excuse _you_ ,” he quipped, reaching out to part a few leafy branches in order to see through them, “I am _very_ sneaky. She’ll never even know we’re here.” With a thoughtful hum, he narrowed his eyes at his little sister, “Now… Who’s she waiting for?”

 

“Can’t be Twinkle Toes,” Toph commented, her face only an inch from the bushes. She made no move to peek around them – there was no point.

 

“I still can’t believe they broke up,” Sokka mentioned, starting the conversation almost seamlessly, “I know Katara said that she just didn’t have feelings for him, but c’mon,” He let go of the bush, in order to use his hands for gesticulating once again, “They’d been together _forever_.”

 

“So?” Toph countered, pulling a disapproving expression.

 

“ _So_ ,” Sokka emphasized, leading into his point, “All that history, all the time they’d spent together, everything, out the window in just one day? Why? What happened?” Then, glancing back across the street, his tone changed completely, surprised, “Who is _that_?”

 

“Still blind,” Toph quipped, unable to answer his shocked question.

 

Turning to glare at her in annoyance, Sokka said nothing, for a moment. _Snarky little shit._

 

Then, taking a deep, calming breath, he looked back across the street and carefully described the man who’d just taken the seat across from Katara. As best he could, anyway. “Okay, so he’s got dark brown hair – it’s a little long, but not, like, shaggy and gross, y’know?” Sokka began, “He’s wearing jeans and a button-up shirt, and… unfortunately, I can’t see his face from here.”

 

Toph simply shrugged at the description. “I dunno,” she offered, unhelpfully.

 

“We gotta get closer,” Sokka decided aloud, reaching out to grab hold of Toph’s wrist on a split-second impulse, “Follow me!”

 

Before Toph could object, Sokka pulled her up and swerved around the planter, heading toward the street. The trick would be crossing without attracting the attention of either Katara or the strange guy she was sitting with… but Sokka had faith in his improvisation skills. As luck would have it, a moving van was turning the corner as they reached the crosswalk.

 

Grinning, Sokka quickened his pace, “There’s our chance!” He dragged Toph along behind him – ignoring her protests – and managed to cross the street, keeping the large truck between them and Katara.

 

“You know that Katara and this guy are probably on a date, right?” Toph grumped, once they were on the other side.

 

“Yes… and that’s exactly why we’re getting a closer look,” Sokka informed her, stopping in his tracks and glancing around to find cover, “It’s only been a few weeks since Katara broke things off with Aang; I’m just concerned about her fragile emotional state. What if this guy is taking advantage of her?”

 

When he found a well-placed newspaper stand, Sokka directed Toph to stand behind it, then took up a position at her side. There! Now they could see Katara, but she couldn’t see them.

 

“Fragile emotional state, my butt…” Toph snorted, standing where directed, “Katara is going to kill you for spying on her and her new boyfriend.”

 

Shushing his traitorous partner in crime, Sokka leaned around the newspaper stand, catching sight of his sister once again. “Okay, they’re just sitting there, talking,” he informed Toph, sounding thoughtful, “If this is a date, wouldn’t they be more…. Couple-y?”

 

“I dunno,” Toph said again, shrugging, “Katara sounds pretty happy, to me. Are you sure it’s not actually super romantic and you’re just an oblivious dork?”

 

Sokka sputtered, indignantly. “Do you even know who you’re talking to?” he asked, trying to keep his voice down, even with the dramatics, “I am a love _master_!”

 

“…Sure you are, Sokka.”

 

Before he could think up a clever retort, Sokka’s attention was drawn back to his sister’s totally-not-a-date. “Wait,” he began curiously, watching the mystery guy rise from the table and make some apologetic gestures, “It looks like he’s leaving?”

 

Indeed, Mystery Man stepped away from the table, holding a phone up to his ear. “I can’t believe it!” Sokka whispered heatedly to Toph, offense in every line of his body, “He’s actually taking a phone call, in the middle of a da – I mean, meeting – with my sister!”

 

“Maybe it’s important?” Toph suggested, “Shit happens.”

 

Watching the scene for a moment, Sokka analyzed his options. What should he do…? Just as Mystery Guy vanished from sight, he made up his mind. “I’m gonna go talk to Katara,” he announced, ducking out from behind the newspaper stand and out into the open.

 

“That’s a bad idea,” Toph cautioned, though she looked ready to follow.

 

Sokka snorted, at that. “All my ideas are good ideas,” he informed her dismissively. Then, without a second thought, he strode over and hailed his sister in an exaggerated whisper, “Hey, Katara!”

 

Katara, who had been idly reading the table menu with a relaxed, carefree smile, jumped at the unexpected sound of her brother’s voice. Whirling in her seat, she caught sight of Sokka and groaned in disbelief. “What are you _doing_ here?” She asked, incredulous.

 

“That’s not important,” Sokka insisted quickly, avoiding the question, “What are _you_ doing here? And who was _that_?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, in the direction that Mystery Guy had disappeared to.

 

Slowly, Katara narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest in rising anger. “Are you _spying_ on me?” She asked dangerously, the threatening tone in her voice promising retribution if her guess was correct.

 

“ _No_!” Sokka insisted, wounded by the very suggestion.

 

“Yes,” Toph corrected from just behind him, before stepping to one side and offering a vague wave in their general direction, “Hey, Katara.”

 

Blinking in surprise, Katara returned both the wave and the greeting, “Uh, hey, Toph.”

 

“Traitor,” Sokka muttered out of the corner of his mouth, before shifting his attention back to Katara and the issue at hand, “So? Who was that guy you were with?”

 

Immediately, Katara was on the defensive. “Absolutely none of your business,” she answered heatedly, raising her chin defiantly, “I’m not _fifteen_ anymore, Sokka. I can have coffee whenever I want, with whoever I want.”

 

Raising both hands in mock-surrender and taking half a step back, Sokka tried to play things off as brotherly concern, rather than snooping. “Hey,” he said lightly, “I’m just concerned for your safety… If that makes me the _bad guy_ , then so be it.”

 

“Yeah, right,” Katara snapped, seeing right through the act, “You just happened to see me and came over to snoop… after _spying_ on me!”

 

Sokka sputtered. “I am offended!” he declared, placing a hand on his chest, “I try to be a good big brother, and this is the thanks I get!” Then, turning, he made a quick gesture, “C’mon, Toph; I know when I’m not wanted.”

 

Before he could take more than two steps, he came face-to-face with the Mystery Guy, returned from his phone call and looking confused.

 

With an audible sigh, Katara introduced him. “Zuko, this is my brother, Sokka, and our friend, Toph. Sokka, Toph, this is Zuko, of Phoenix Industries,” she performed the niceties, before her tone hardened in warning, “They were just passing by and wanted to say hello, but they can’t stay.”

 

“Uh, hi,” Zuko nodded at each of them in turn, his gaze resting on Toph’s milky-white eyes for a moment before he smiled, somewhat awkwardly, “Pleasure to meet you.”

 

“Oooh, he sounds cute,” She announced shamelessly, grinning as she jabbed Sokka with her elbow once again, “Is he cute?”

 

With that one statement – and subsequent question – everyone froze.

 

Zuko was a bit taken aback by the comment, understandably. He could tell that the young woman was blind, so he knew that she wasn’t making a cheap shot about his scar, but… it was still rather forward. He had no idea what to say, or what to do, so he simply stood there, awkwardly.

 

Katara sighed, hiding her face in her hands. She was used to Toph’s antics, at least, but, well… anyone who didn’t know her tended to be overwhelmed by the short, blind spitfire. On top of that, Zuko was self-conscious about his scar, so his appearance was a bit of a sore subject – not that Toph could have possibly known that. Ugh…

 

Sokka just… facepalmed. Wasn’t Toph supposed to be on his side, here?

 

“…Well?” Toph demanded, once it became clear that no one was going to answer.

 

Sokka let his hand fall from his face, revealing a rather irritated expression. He needed a new partner in crime; that much was clear. “Just… c’mon,” he prompted, reaching out to take Toph’s wrist, “We’re gonna go watch Voltron until you can comprehend its genius.”

 

“ _Boo_ …!” Toph mock-heckled with a frown, but her grin quickly returned and she called out, in a sing-song voice, “Bye, Katara! Bye, Katara’s boyfriend~!”

 

Zuko, who had been waving a hesitant farewell, blinked. Then, he blushed, averting his gaze to his shoes in embarrassment. _He wasn’t… They weren’t…_ She probably wouldn’t have listened, even if he had managed to say it out loud.

 

Katara had only just lowered her hands, exposing her face, but at Toph’s words, she let her forehead fall to the table with an audible _thunk_. Why was everyone she knew so embarrassing?


End file.
